The present invention is directed to photographic processors and more particularly to a replenishment system for accurately delivering replenishment solution from a package containing a plurality of discrete containers to the processing tanks.
In many retail establishments there is provided a small mini-lab processor which is used for the processing of film. In such processors, it has been desirable to provide the replenishment solution used for replenishing the processing solutions in the processing tanks to be provided in a combined shipping and dispensing package such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,614 which is hereby incorporated by reference. This type of package allows a low skill operator of the processing apparatus to quickly and easily provide fresh replenishment solution to the apparatus. Typically, the package has a plurality of individual containers, each having a different processing solution of different amounts that are designed to be emptied all at the same time such that a fresh package can be placed without any waste of processing solution. If too much remaining solution is left in any one of the containers this can present a problem with regard to appropriate disposal of the processing solution remaining therein.
In order to try to improve the emptying of all the containers at the same time, it has been suggested the providing of more accurate feed pumps for delivery of the processing solutions from the package to the processing tanks so that the appropriate amount of processing solution is delivered. While this has provided improvement, this solution is relatively expensive. An additional problem with current processors it that they do not provide any feedback to the operator if there is pump malfunction. The fluid flow or replenishment volume is not measured anywhere in the replenishment delivery system. Typically, the pumps are concealed and the customer has no visual indication of the amount of the replenishment solution delivered. It is assumed that the pumps are always delivering their normal predefined amount. With normal use and wear the pumps will eventually fail without providing a warning to the operator. In addition, there exists the possibility that over time these pumps due to normal wear and tear will eventually fail or become less accurate.
Prior art devices have also suggested various techniques for determining when the containers have been emptied. One such system relies on the placement of a sensor adjacent to the neck of the container and uses this information to determine when the container is empty. Typically, these rely on a collar that is moved in response to the position of the fluid contained therein. When empty, the collar goes to a position that activates the sensor to advise that the container is empty. Occasionally, defects in container manufacturing may cause the floating collar to stick and fail to drop when the package is empty. In other situations, a false empty alarm may be activated due to sensor failure or when the sensors are in need of cleaning or maintenance. An example of use of such sensors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,991 which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in it""s entirety.
The prior art has also disclosed the use of calibrated vessels for metering a desired amount of processing solution in large scale processing system. An example of such units are the Hostert Fotomata Inline/ED 15 replenishment unit found on Model DDP40/120 E6 processor and the Gretag Model E6-120 GL/VESS E-6 processor. These systems are directed to supplying processing solution from a single large supply container into an associated processing tank. These systems are operated in a continuous manner. When the solution in the supply container reaches a low level, a skilled attendant would simply provide more solution to the supply vessel. Packaged chemistry is not suitable for such systems nor is there any concern for associating the refilling of one supply vessel with another supply vessel in these systems.
Thus, there is a need to provide an accurate and economical fluid delivery system for providing replenishment solutions to photographic processors which utilize a replenishment package system having two or more processing solutions that are to be depleted simultaneously.
The present invention provides an accurate delivery system at relatively low costs without the need for expensive metering pumps to dispense the solution and also provides the ability to detect delivery problems in an easier manner than previously allowed. The present invention also provides a delivery system that does not rely on pumps for determining the amount of fluid that has been delivered and once calibrated the amount of solution delivered over time does not change. The present invention further allows a visual indication that a predetermined amount of replenishment solution has been delivered.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a photographic processor, comprising:
a processing tank for containing a processing solution through which a media is passed for processing of a media;
a delivery system for providing a replenishment solution to the processing tank from a package having at least two separate containers, each of the containers having a processing solution that is to be provided to the at least one processing tank, the delivery system substantially emptying each of the at least two separate containers in the package in an accurate predetermined rate so that all of the at least two containers in the package will be substantially empty at the same time, the delivery system having a retaining vessel, a liquid level sensing system for sensing a predetermined amount of the replenishment solution in the retaining vessel to be delivered to the processing tank, a delivery mechanism for filling and emptying the predetermined amount of replenishment solution from the retaining vessel in response to the liquid level sensing system.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for delivering a replenishment solution to a processing tank in a photographic processor having at least one processing tank and is designed to provide replenishment solution to the at least one processing tank from a package having a plurality of containers each having a processing solution therein, comprising the steps of:
dispensing the processing solutions from each of the containers into an associated retaining vessel until a signal to stop is received; and
dispensing a predetermined amount of the processing solution from the retaining vessel for delivery to one of the processing tanks.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a photographic processor, comprising:
a plurality of processing tanks for containing a processing solution through which a media is passed for processing of a media;
a delivery system for providing a replenishment solution to the plurality of processing tanks from a package having at least two separate containers, each of the containers having a processing solution that is to be provided to one of the plurality of processing tanks, the delivery system substantially emptying each of the at least two separate containers in the package in an accurate predetermined rate so that the at least two containers in the package will be substantially empty at the same time, the delivery system having a retaining vessel, a liquid level sensing system for sensing a predetermined amount of the replenishment solution in the retaining vessel, a delivery mechanism for filling and emptying the predetermined amount of replenishment solution from the retaining vessel in response to the liquid level sensing system.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a delivery system for providing a replenishment solution to one or more processing tanks from a package having at least two separate containers, each of the containers having a processing solution that is to be provided to the one or more processing tanks, the delivery system substantially emptying each of the at least two separate containers in the package in an accurate predetermined rate so that all of the at least two containers in the package will be substantially empty at the same time, the delivery system having a retaining vessel, a liquid level sensing system for sensing a predetermined amount of the replenishment solution in the retaining vessel to be delivered to the one or more processing tanks, a delivery mechanism for filling and emptying the predetermined amount of replenishment solution from the retaining vessel in response to the liquid level sensing system.
These and other aspects, objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings.